Circuit-controller.



ARTHUR 'smoimuor 'MInWAUKEnw'I'sooNsIm AssIGNoR 'ro THE GUTLERFHAMMER,

MFG. 400,011* MILWAUKEE,wIsCoNsINA conPoRATIoN 0F WISCONSIN.

To all 'whom t may concern: i

citizen' of. the United States, residing at Milwaukee, inthe county of Milwaukee and State of' Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in 'CircuiteControllera of whichthe'following is a full,.clear, concise, and exact description, reference being i the type-disclosed in my prior application 'Serial No. 36,765, filed lJune 28, 1915, where-- is under the control of a torque motor which had toA the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification. u This invention relatesr to improvements 1n circuit controllers. Morev particularly the invention. relates to protective controllersofin the. circuit making and breaking 'rn'eans detects abnormal conditions in the con.-

'trolled circuit.

The present invention has laniong its objects to provide asimple, efficient andf sensithe motor and sup'port'ed thereon, switch' tive controlling mechanism of the aforesaid character which .may be`readilyv adjusted to meet different requirements.

A further object sto provide a-controlling mechanism utilizingto advantage 'some of the heat generated by vits governing ino-4 tor and at the same time providing adequate -ventilation of the 'motor to prevent excessiv heating thereof.

A still further object is to combine the circuit-making and breaking means and the governing motor in a unitary and compact form. -v

Other objects and advantages of the in-l vention will hereinafter appear. l In the accompanying drawing,z which illustrates the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, l .f

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the controller partially in section: and,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2 2, Fig. 1, but excluding the motor casing.

The controllerillustrated comprises, a squirrel cage motor 1 secured in a vertical position onv a suitable supporting panel 2, a horizontal insulating-base 3 arranged above,

contacts 4 and 5 fixed to said base and cooperating contacts and 7 fixed to the shaft of the motor 1. In use the motor l operates against the action of a spring 8 to eect engagementv of the "contacts and then 'stalls to maintain engagement thereof while nor mal conditions prevail. When abnormal conditionsoccuri-the motor is rendered inert or lts torqueso reduced as to permit disengagement of the contacts bv the spring 8.

Also, the controller embodies. adjusting' means hereinafter described whe'reby its-,

sensitiveness is rendered variable both as to llmit and range therebetween.

i Patented Nov. 12, 1 918.4 Apiicationmeaaugastao,1915. serial No. 48,081. i

i .Referring more specifically to-the motor,

the'same is provided-with a solid cylindrical rotor 9 iixedto a shaft 10 mounted in ball gbearingsflland 12 provided in the *ends of the casing l 13 v of the' motor`, said bearings having grease lubrication. Otherwise the motor is ofV conventional construction. However, the details 'mentioned and the feature of 'vertical mounting of the motor derstood the motor when stalled will gencrate considerable'- heat but with the motor mounted .vertically as described and provided Iwith Ventilating openings in the ends :of casing." the circulation. of air 'between 'A -tlre rotor and stator 'and varound the latter will insure against excessive heating of the motor.- On the .other hand, the rotorj-when stalled will always heat up to-some extent and, due to -its construction, it will'transfnit its heat to and through the shaft 10"to both bearings 1l and 1 2thereof maintaining. the lubricant at a suitable working temperature even where the controller is 'installed in` places of low temperature. Thus provision is made for extreme mechanical sensitiveness of the motor.

The insulating switch base Sis fixed to the motor in a' spaced relation therewith by bolts areof extreme importance. As'will be unv 14, 15 and 16 and as above set f0r th,'the

' switch-contacts 4 and 5 are fixed to said base.

Both contacts are of similar construction, each comprising a curved contact strip fixed to a'lever 17 having an open bearing 18 on an angle'plate 19 'fixed to the base, as byv rivets 20.- Also, each contact has associated therewith a tension device 21 functioning to secure the same in its bearing and to bias it inwardly against its supportingplate which constitutes a s top therefor.- Further, the contact' 14 has* an adjusting nut 22. for its tension` device for a purpose hereinafter set forth.- `The coperating' contacts 6 and 7 comprise" studs projecting vertically from a 'V-shaped-supporting member 23 fixed to the shaft-1 0 of themotor, wherebv said contacts make wiping engagement with contacts 4 and 5. Here it is to be noted that the con- 'the motor must operate against the combined I' tacts -4 and'are-so positioned asto be vices when engaged bv contacts 6 and 7,'- wli'ich insures firm engagement thereof and lifted against the action of their tension der moreover provides for friction of restl variable bythe adjustable tension device of contact 4.v -Also, it is to be noted that contacts 4 and 5 present extensive surfaces for the -wiping contacts 6 and 7 and that the .former contacts are arranged for progressive engagement by the latter.` That is to say, the.

arrangement is such that'contact 6 will 'engage contact4 prior to emgagein ent` of the other contacts. wherebvcontact 4'wil1 function to oppose circuit closing operation of the. controller-to a degree varying with the adjustment of its tension device. However, the curvature of contacts 4 and 5 eliminates this opposition to the motor as soon as the movable contacts pass the tips of the former contacts, said contacts and 5 beingeurved concentrically 'with respect to the 'motor'A shaft. When the -movablecontacts have. traveled the length of the stationary contacts one of thefoimerabuts the support of one ofthe latter to stallthemotor as above i mentioned.A .The contacts Gand 7 in this instance serve to -bridge the contacts 4 and 5 and to this end the former contacts are connected by a1 lead 24,.

' -The spring 8 which,ias"before stated, opposes the operation of the motor, `is connected at oneend to a lug 25 on the base 8 and'at -its opposite end toa lug 26 adjustably secured-toen extension- 27 of the contact carrying member 23.- Thusthe spring biases the contacts 6 and 7 in a counterclock-wise direction while the motor-when opposition of the spring 8 and the tensioned contact 4- whereby its sensitiveness in this respect may be varied by adjustment of either or both of the elements opposing the same; On the other han'd, in order to move the controller to interrupt circuit the spring S'must overcome the friction of rest deter-- mined by the tension devices .of l'the stationary contactsin addition to the" prevailing torque of the motor whereby the sensitiveness-of the controller in this respect may v be varied by adjustment of the tension de Consequently it Will be apparentv that rela,-

tive adjustment of the devices mentioned will enable variationl of the range between the variable limits of sensitiveness whereby the controller may be readily adaptedv to different requirements of service.4

As shown, the contacts of the controller provide a twospoint break single pole switch and vfor its inclusion in'circuit binding lposts -29-and 30-areprovided onjthe upper side of theiiisulating base 3, said posts being -respectively -connected to the supporting plates of contacts 4 and 5.A Obviously,` however, the contacts might be utilizedjin otherI ways.

- It is, of course, to be'understoodthat-the device illustrated'is susceptible. of various modifications falling within the scope of the' appended claims.

1. In a circuit controller, in combination,

a` biased circuit controlling element, a torque motor for operating said element against'its bias to a given position and .holding the l saine in said. position subject to .1. release upon reduction of `theto'rque 'ofsaid motor" 'and adjustable means opposing biased movement of said element from saidposition for vvariation ofits sensitiveness of release 'upon torque reductionof said motor. s

2. A circuit controller, including a biased circuit controlling element movable against its bias to a given positiomadjustable means to oppose return movement of said element from said position but only through a.

limited part of its range of movement and a torque motor operatively-connected to said element to move the latter to said position and to hold the saine thereinabut subject to release upon a degree of torque reduction varying with theadjustment of 'said means. 3. A circuit controller including a -biased circuit controlling element, a torque motor for moving 'said element againstits bias to a' given position and holding the same iii -said position but subject to release thereof upontorque reduction and means providing for regulation of the sensitiveness Aof said element to torque variations of different ranges.

4. In a circuit controller, in combination, a circuit controlling element, a torque motor for movingsaid element to a given position, means tending to render such movement of said element dependent upon a given torque of said motor and to effect release of said element at a given torque of saidl motor and means coactii'ig` with said former means to render'said element sensitive to torque variations of reduced range. 5.. a circu1t controller, in combination, a circuit controlling element, a torque motor subject to release thereof upon torque reduction and a plurality of means coacting to loo s for moving said element to a given position 1 vice of contact 4 to vary the friction of rest.

provide adjustment of the sensitiveness of` said element to positive and negative torque variations. 5'

6. A circuit controller including a switch, a torque motor to operate and hold said switch and separate adjustable means both acting to oppose operation of said switch by said motor and one also acting to oppose reverse .operation of said switch.

i a torque ,motorfor operating and holding A 7. A circuit controller including a switch, a torque motor for operating andliolding said switch, means blasing said switch to normal position and adjustable means for varying the friction of rest of said switch when in operated position.

8. A. circuit controller mcluding a switch,

- saidswitch, an vadjustable tension device rality of successively engageable sets of .contacts, a torque motor for effecting engage-.' ment of said sets of contacts,- means biasing said contacts out of engagement and an ad. justable. tension device associated with .and acting upon `a contact of the first-engaged set to coact with said biasing means to regulate the sensitiveness of the controllerto torque variations.

11. 1n a circuit controller, in combination, a plurality of successively Aengage'able sets of contacts, a torque motor for effecting and maintaining .engagement of said sets of contacts, an adjustable tension device biasing said set of contacts, .out of engagement-andI 1an adjustable tension device associated with and 'acting upon 'a contact of the first engaged set 'to vary the friction between the contacts of said last mentioned set.l

A12. A circuit controller including a c iri cuit controlling element, a torque motor for moving said'- element to a given position and nesses.

retaining'the same therein but subject-.to 'release upon torque reduction, said motor havf ing a solid -drum ,rotor and ball bearings therefor, said drum servingto supply the lubricant of. said bearings with heat gener# ated by said motor and means to'varythe friction of rest of the controller to vary its sensitiveness to .torque reduction.

13. In a circuit controller,.in combination, a motor,- an insulating base fixedto one' end of said motor in a spaced relation therewith and switch contacts, certain of the .samebeingfixed to the side of said base contiguous tofsaid motor and another of said contacts being fixed to the shaft of said motor.

. 14. A. .circuit -controller comprising .a

torque motor, a contact element fixed tothe shaft of said motor to be turned thereby,

.and relatively stationary contacts to be pro-- gre'ssively engaged by said element with a I wiping action, and adjustable pressure devices associated with the first engaged contact to vary the friction between the same and said element and a spring associated' with said element to bias the same against andfaway from said contacts.' A

15. A circuit controller comprising a torquemotor, acontact element fixed to .the

shaft of said motor to be turned thereby, and

relatively stationary contacts to be progresassociated with the first engaged contact to vary the friction between the' same and said I'element and an adj ustable tension device assoeiated with said element to bias the same away from said contacts.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub scribed my. name in "the presence of two wit- ARTHUR srMoN; Witnesses HENRY F. Voer, OsoAR A. KEI1LER.

sively engaged by said element with a wiping action, an adjustable pressure device- 

